Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 4:6
And Ahishar [was] over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda [was] over the tribute.
6. After the mention of Ahishar, the LXX. ( Vat.) adds .
Adoniram ] He is mentioned again 1Ki 5:14; and the name is found in a contracted form Adoram (2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 12:18) and Hadoram (2Ch 10:18). He was stoned to death by the Israelites to whom Rehoboam sent him, as a collector of tribute, after the revolt of the ten tribes to Jeroboam.
over the tribute ] [R.V. levy.] This is the forced labour, in which form the service of tributaries was often exacted. The same word is also used (1Ki 5:13) of the men who did this forced labour. There it is rendered ‘levy,’ in A. V. It is the German Frohndienst, French corve.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Over the household – Comptroller of the household, like the Steward of the Persian court. On the importance of this office, see 2Ki 18:18, and compare Isa 22:15-25.
The tribute – The marginal reading, levy, is preferable. The reference is to the forced laborers whom Solomon employed in his great works (marginal reference).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Ahishar was over the household] the king’s chamberlain.
Adoniram – was over the tribute.] What we call chancellor of the exchequer. He received and brought into the treasury all the proceeds of taxes and tributes. He was in this office under David; see 2Sa 20:24.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Over the household; steward of the kings household.
Over the tribute, to wit, the personal tribute, or the levy of men, as appears by comparing this with 1Ki 5:13,14, it being very fit that there should be some one person to whom the chief conduct or inspection of that great business was committed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. Ahishar was over thehouseholdsteward or chamberlain of the palace.
Adoniramor Adoram(2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 12:18),or Hadoram (2Ch 10:18),
was over the tributenotthe collection of money or goods, but the levy of compulsory laborers(compare 1Ki 5:13; 1Ki 5:14).
1Ki4:7-21. HIS TWELVEOFFICERS.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Abiathar [was] over the household,…. Steward of the household:
and Adoniram the son of Abda [was] over the tribute, over those that collected the tribute, as the Targum, whether from the people of Israel or other nations, or both; this man was in the same post in David’s time, 2Sa 20:24.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) Over the household,like the High Steward of a modern Court. In 2Ki. 18:18 we have the same three officers mentioned (Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder).
Adoniram . . . over the tribute (or levy),evidently the head of Solomons great public works. (See 1Ki. 5:14.) The name is elsewhere given as Adoram. It is to be noticed that in the enumeration of Davids officers in the early part of the reign (2Sa. 8:16-18) no such officer is found; but that in the latter part of his reign the list contains the name of Adoram (2Sa. 20:24). It has been thought that the numbering of the people recorded in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21, was in preparation for such forced work, and hence was odious to Joab and others. In 1Ki. 12:18 we read how the holder of this office, being naturally most unpopular with those who had felt the burden of Solomons splendour, was stoned to death in the insurrection against Rehoboam.
To this list the Greek Version adds: Eliab the son of Shaphat was over the body-guard. As the office of captain of the body-guard is found in the other lists, and is too important to be omitted, it is possible that this addition corrects some defect in the Hebrew text. Yet it is also possible that no successor to Benaiah was appointed, as experience had shown, in the crushing of the rebellion of Adonijah, how easily the captaincy of the body-guard might become a quasi-independent power.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Ahishar was over the household Overseer of the royal palace and family; the king’s chamberlain.
Adoniram over the tribute The same person who held this office during the later years of David’s reign. See note on 2Sa 20:24. The word , here rendered tribute, is translated, levy in 1Ki 5:13-14, and this latter seems to be the true meaning. Adoniram had charge of the multitudes of men that were impressed out of all Israel to labour on the public works, and probably his general superintendency extended also over the thousands of foreign bondslaves that bare burdens, etc. See 1Ki 5:15; 2Ch 2:17; 2Ch 18:7.
Twelve officers , prefects. Collectors of the royal revenues, which consisted not in money, but in the products of the land.
Thus were furnished provisions for the king’s household.
Each man his month Probably Azariah the son of Nathan, who was over these twelve officers, (1Ki 4:5,) notified each of them which month he would be required to provide for the king. According to Herodotus (i, 192) the kingdom of Persia was divided into districts, each one of which supplied the great king and his army with provisions for a given portion of the year.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 4:6 And Ahishar [was] over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda [was] over the tribute.
Ver. 6. And Abishar was over the household. ] Magister Aulae magnus. Le grand maistre, comptroller of the court, or governor of the king’s house.
Was over the tribute.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Adoniram: 1Ki 12:18, 2Sa 20:24, Adoram
tribute: or, levy, 1Ki 5:13, 1Ki 5:14, 1Ki 9:15
Reciprocal: 2Ch 10:18 – Hadoram Isa 22:15 – which